Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1887-02-03
A RUSH OFF BUSINESS.

Hundreds of BTls-'rhe states Legis-
lators Kept Extremely Busy-A Long
Session Assured-The Limit for New
Business Not Extended-Matters of
Interest to New HavenerR = The
Hearing on tho Sunday Tramc Bill
The RailrOa ds willing to Concede to
AFFAIR Bill.
HARTFORD, Feb. 2.
| Especial to the JOURNAL COURIER
When Connecticut's Solons climbed the
steep, slippery and snow-covered walks of
| Capitol hill to the halls of legislation this
morning they came loaded down with new
| bills, petitions and remonstrances which
were presented to the House and Senate.
Representative Mix set the ball to rolling by
| moving that the time for the receiving of
new business be extended. The motion was
strongly opposed, however, and defeated,
and to day will be the last for the receival of
new business.
Representative Hydes bill regulating Sun
day traffic on railroads came before the com
mittee on railroads this afternoon. The COM
mittee room was crowded. The bill pro-
| vides that no train shall run except be-
tween 9 am. and pm. except mail and
such other trains as may be authorized by
the railroad commissioners if they are re-
quired by public necessity for the preserva.
ton of freight. No loading or unloading OF
freight at any station shall be permitted be
tween sunrise and sunset. A 70 rfeiture OF
$3.50 is to be collected for every violation OF
the act in an action of debt, one half to be
paid to the person who shall sue and the 9TH
or half to the State. This act i'll not affect
existing statutes except as far as it may be
inconsistent with them.
| The Rev. A. s. Cheseborough, OF
Saybrook, spoke first. He adj
dressed the committee at length
and very foroibly. He said he supported the
bill on general principles; that Sunday should
i be protected from disturbance He read
from decision of the United States court
sustaining Sunday law on the ground of
the protection of the persons employed from
continuous labor. do not wish you to enact
my theological views of the matter, but do
sincerely hope that my conversation before
this committee will aid the cause. see no
reason why if it is improper to run Colts
armory ON Sunday it is proper to run Sun
day railroad trains. The majority of the
people of this State are Christians and each
Sunday are disturbed by the noise from the
running of trains. The existing Sunday
laws on the matter are insufficient.
Mr.. Cheseborough read what he said was the
only law on the subject. being section 81,
chapter of the general statutes. This statute
cannot be applied to the Sunday railroad
travel. Last year, as you know, there was
much discussion on the subject before the
legislature. There was no action taken, how
ever, and as result there was
more Sunday traffic than before
The speaker spoke especially of the through
Shore Line train which he said disturbed
200, 900 people for the accommodation of two
or three hundred New York people. Mr..
Cheseborough stated that some roads recog-
nizing the right of the matter were volun-
tarily reducing this Sunday travel.
The Rev. DR.. Cooper, of New Britain, was
the next speaker in favor of tho bill. He
said that he did not come before the commit
tee as an individual, but committee regu-
larly appointed and bound to represent the
views of the body which he represented, the
Congregational conference. This organization
he said represented very large lay element,
and, as he believed, the majority of
the people of the State. They believe
that the bill should pass and that
the people should secure one day out of the
seven for rest DR.. Cooper described at
length the circumstances which induced him
to believe that the bill was wise in itself, and
met with the views of large constituency
and of growing public sentiment.
Mr.. Eugene Culver, of Middletown, said he
had looked up the existing law and found it
adequate to restrict traffic. Mr.. Culver read
from various revisions of the statutes tracing
the gradual disappearance of the laws re-
Quiring attendance at church and forbidding
ndau tr1 40 IF oil 10 O
deal of foolish sentiment about Sunday ex-
cursion trains. It is every citizens duty to
maintain the sanctity of the Sunday.
General MeManus was the next speaker
and spoke very strongly in favor of the bill.
He said he appeared for no committee or for
anyone but himself, and he had strong views
in the bills favor. The statutes imply a
confession of Christianity and it is recognized
in the bill of rights; the statutes recognize it
by making the view of process on Sunday as
void, by forbiddinz labor and recreation,
etc.; some of the enaotments are very recent.
They prevent all labor and disturbance ex-
cept in one particular, the tumult of thou
sand trains. The railroads have privileges
directly opposed to the rules that apply else
where; there is no sufficient reason for such
exception; the argument from public con-
veniencs would, if pushed to its full effects,
wholly secularize the day.
w. w. Hyde, member of the committee
resentative Hyde, next addressed the COM
mittee. The Sunday laws which have been
on our statute books for many years have
not helped the observance of the command
mens ''Thou shalt not break the Sabbath"
We do not ask to take anything away from
the railroads. The brakemen, conductors,
engineers and iremen and the other en-
ployes of the railroads SO long as they per-
form similar labor on Sunday are Sabbath
breakers and we could if we felt 30 inclined
prosecute them and have each and every one
fined 81 for the violation of the Sabbath
They are practically compelled to go and do
the work and then again they are not. All
we ask is let US have peace dur
ing the hours of divine service No,
don't let US have the fast Sunday trains rush
ing through our villages and, as recent &C.
curence, killing people while coming home
from church. We do not want to take the
running of the railroads out of their owners
hands, nor do we want to take anything that |
the railroad companies enjoy to-day legally.
But what we do want is that trains be pro-
hibited only in cases of emergency or necessity |
except during the hours of 8 am. and pm. |
on Sundays. The railroad companies say |
leave the matter to u.s. we know what to do. |
They have had it left to them, but the, |
haven't done what we ask them. We do not |
want the trains stopped, neither do we want |
trains which are public necessity or which |
are run in cases of emergency cease running.
l don't believe if what we ask for is granted |
the railroad companies would be injured in
the least in their work. This matter is not
to be ridiculed at, neither is it a plaything.
Observe gentlemen three Thousand names on
that petition. Glance over them and see if
you recognize any of them. You most GER
tainly will for among them are men of high
standing in the county, men Of character and
honor, men whose signature carries weight
to whatever it is attached. These gentlemen
like ourselves ask only for what is right,
nothing more or less.
The Hon. Henry G. Robinson, represent
ing the interests of the New York, New Ha-
ven and Hartford road, next addressed the
committee. He said: Gentlemen of the
committee do not appear before you in
opposition to this bill. A great subject has
been launched and must give my views and
also to represent the Consolidated road 1
hardly understand the bill and do not as yet
The question is whether we are to reconsider
our Sunday laws on general or on fundamen-
tai principles. You must reflect public sen.
timent. Mr.. Robinson introduced the law
relating to the matter which Is now pending
before the legislature of Massachusetts,
They are taking hold of it on general prin-
ciples, said he. The old code of laws which